Bleach: The Invincible Slacker from Rukongai

Inside a heavily fortified tent, secured by multiple barriers and seals, Uehara Shiroha stared at the translucent system panel before him.

As expected—

[Standard: White Album] has been upgraded from [Proficient] to [Mastered].

A subtle smirk played across his lips.

This S-rank ability was now on par with a Zanpakutō Bankai.

Whether it was [Universal Barrier] or [White Album], they were absolute nightmares for any Gillian-class Hollow.

Ordinary Shikai-level Zanpakutō could never reach this level.

In fact, even some Bankai paled in comparison.

Of course, his S-rank ability was still nowhere near the overwhelming might of Yamamoto Genryūsai's Zanka no Tachi—but it was definitely on par with the early-stage Bankai of Kuchiki Byakuya from the beginning of the story.

A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.

With this, his power had taken another step forward.

The next morning, Uehara Shiroha awoke early.

After completing his daily training tasks, he casually greeted the two Shinigami guards stationed outside his tent.

A soft chime echoed in his mind—

[Spiritual Pressure +1, Universal Barrier +1].

The two guards looked stunned, almost flattered.

They hadn't expected a figure of his caliber to be so approachable.

As he left the tent, he soon spotted Ise Nanao, who was already wide awake and brimming with energy.

Her previous timid demeanor was gone—replaced with the sharp, focused aura of a battle-hardened Shinigami.

Seeing her eager expression, Uehara sighed.

"Nanao," he called.

She immediately straightened, awaiting instruction.

"Do you remember the fundamental spiritual power control techniques I taught you?"

"Of course!" Nanao nodded. "You told me to visualize a perfect circle, fill it with the deepest and densest color, and then focus my mind into the center of the circle."

"Good," Uehara said, crossing his arms. "Try it now."

Nanao exhaled slowly, confidence in her posture.

After everything she had experienced on the battlefield, she had grown much stronger.

Failing at something so basic was simply unthinkable.

She shut her eyes and entered a meditative state.

Then—

A few moments later, her expression twitched.

Confusion flickered across her face, followed by frustration.

Something felt off.

She opened her eyes and looked at Uehara in disbelief.

"This…"

Uehara chuckled knowingly.

"This technique is the foundation for all Kidō and spiritual arts. You should practice it a hundred times before moving on."

Nanao quickly gathered herself.

She realized now—her rapid growth had made her foundation unstable.

She had gained strength too quickly, without fully mastering the basics.

If she wanted to truly improve, she had to put in the effort.

Bowing respectfully, she answered, "Yes, Mr. Uehara!"

Satisfied, Uehara nodded and turned away.

After leaving Nanao to her training, Uehara retraced his steps back to yesterday's battlefield.

If so many Gillian had gathered there so quickly, then there had to be an entrance to the Forest of Menos nearby.

It didn't take long before he found it—

A hidden passage buried beneath thick layers of sand and stone.

Without hesitation, he stepped through.

The air changed immediately.

The narrow stone corridor ahead stretched deep underground, its walls slick with moisture.

Darkness loomed ahead, swallowing the light.

As he walked, a chilling malice wrapped around him.

An ominous presence.

Then came the roars—

Distant, guttural, and filled with rage, madness, and hunger.

Each growl sent vibrations through the cavern walls.

The air was thick with spiritual pressure, pressing against his skin like a tangible force.

But Uehara remained unshaken.

With a few swift Shunpo steps, he reached the end of the passage—

And emerged into a vast, underground world.

A boundless expanse of twisted rock formations stretched as far as the eye could see.

Giant, towering stone pillars rose from the ground, piercing through the cavern ceiling.

Among them, massive trees grew unnaturally tall, their roots twisting into the stone like creeping tendrils.

The ground was carpeted in a dense layer of gray-green moss, while mushrooms of various colors sprouted from the shadows.

This was the Forest of Menos—

The very nest of Hueco Mundo's countless Hollows.

This place was a nightmare for any Shinigami.

Even captain-level Shinigamis struggled here.

The sheer number of Gillian-class Hollows that roamed these lands was overwhelming.

As Uehara expanded his spiritual perception, he sensed massive figures shifting in the distance.

The pressure intensified.

It felt like standing in the eye of a hurricane—

Powerful Hollow reiatsu surged all around him, like waves crashing against a shore.

But Uehara remained calm.

Then—

A sudden chime echoed in his mind.

[Ding! Congratulations! You have completed Special Mission (9): Finding the Forest of Menos. Reward: A-Rank Ability – Seven Flashes!]

Ability Unlocked: Seven Flashes

[Seven Flashes]

Rank: A

Proficiency: Beginner

Type: Magic Technique

Effect: Executes seven simultaneous slashes, instantly shredding everything in the vicinity. Upon mastery, allows the user to channel Kidō and barriers through slashes.

As Uehara scanned the description, his eyes gleamed.

At first glance, this ability seemed like a basic high-speed attack technique.

But the real treasure was its compatibility with Kidō.

The ability to unleash high-level spells—like Hadō through slashes—was extremely rare.

For example—

If he perfected this technique, he could theoretically cast multiple instances of Hadō #96: Itto Kaso (One-Blade Cremation) simultaneously.

Even Yamamoto Genryūsai, the strongest Shinigami in history, had to sacrifice an arm to unleash that spell.

But with Seven Flashes, Uehara could potentially cast it seven times at once.

A grin spread across his face.

This was a valuable asset.

One step closer to true domination.

He closed the system panel and turned his gaze to the darkness beyond.

A horde of Gillian-class Hollows had begun to gather.

Their eerie glowing eyes peered at him from the shadows.

A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the cavern.

The air grew heavier.

With a slow, deliberate motion, Uehara raised his Zanpakutō—

A flickering, invisible flame ignited along its edge.

He exhaled.

"Perfect. The targets for today's sword practice have arrived."

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